Seven Designers In Seven Days: Day One

Teary Eyed Boy

For the next seven (yes- SEVEN) days, I will be featuring layouts using kits created by seven of my favorite designers. The hard part will be choosing seven designers! This should be fun- it means delving into my stock pile of elements and picking seven of the best (at least, those that I consider to be the best).

Today's designer is Michelle Underwood. She's one of the few designers that always pops up on people's favorite designer lists- and with good reason. She's awesome. Her retro patterns and unique color schemes really stand out. You can't compare her to someone else- because there is no one else with a style like hers.

Proud of Myself

I'm so proud...

Yeah, I know. The title of this layout is a swear word, and I don't swear on my layouts (this is actually the first time that I've ever put anything questionable on a layout). I have an edited version posted in a gallery- but I'm going to be brave and post the real thing here, for all to see (well, all those who actually visit my little blog).

I really like this layout. It might not be something that I show my children at any point in the near future- it's probably something that they'll come across after I'm gone. I did this layout as an answer to a challenge. The challenge was to choose a song. I love this song- because it is ME.

It literally screams ME. I remember singing this at the top of my lungs, with my best friend. Driving down the road, this song blaring from the car stereo, just sing our hearts out. Heck, I still own this CD, and put it in from time to time, just to sing this song!

I think that what speaks to me is that we aren't all just one thing. It is so easy to forget that nobody is one dimensional. The rude person that you encountered at the grocery store today- at home, she's probably a warm and caring person. The sullen check out girl, with the piercings, purple hair, and black finger nails- maybe she's a straight A student. We are so quick to judge each other based on what we see.

I know that I'm going to be judged on this layout. I know that someone, somewhere is going to see it, and think 'how offensive!', and maybe my layout will be posted to some message board somewhere, and people who flock to the layout in question and rant and rave that language like that does not need to be included in a scrapbook.

Before that happens- let me just say this: get over yourselves and move on. It's not your book, it's mine. This is who I am, and if you are going to judge me based on one word, in one layout- that's not my loss. It's yours for not taking the time to get to know me.

Grandpa's Wishes

I do believe in God, and I do believe in what comes after this life. I believe that there is such thing as heaven- a place where we go when we die and we can look down and enjoy our family and be with the loved ones who have gone before us. I find myself believing that those who have gone before us have a way of showing their presence to those who are still living.

When my great-grandmother passed away in 1998, I was away at college. After hearing that she had passed away, I needed to go run some errands before leaving town. Each time I got in my car, this one song (My Heart Will Go On, by Celine Dion) would play. If I changed the station- it would be the next song playing. I believe that Grandma Fannie had something to do with that.

Fast forward to 2001. My grandmother loved cardinals. She had cardinal everything. They were really her favorite bird. Since she passed away in June 2001, cardinals have been popping up everywhere. When things are stressful- I'll see a cardinal. They don't have to be real cardinals- it can be anything from the actual bird to a wooden cut out, a pin, earrings, whatever. This is one reason why I keep a cardinal on my Christmas tree- the other reason is to remember her. The most recent cardinal spotting was Saturday, June 11, 2005. I was downtown, at the farmer's market, where they were having an Arts and Antiques fair. The first thing that caught my eye was a thermometer... with a wooden cardinal cut out on it. While looking at it, I felt... at peace and happy, and knew that everything would be ok. An hour later, I learned that my grandfather had passed away.

For the past few weeks, my father has been going through the interview process at Caterpillar. He found out last Friday that he made it through all three rounds- the only applicant to do so. The only thing that he had to do was wait for an offer. Yesterday afternoon, he received that offer. It was much nicer than he expected- more money and better benefits than he expected. My grandfather has taken care of my mother- he has helped her when things were tight, and he's made sure that she will have a beautiful place to live out the rest of her life. I truly believe that he had something to do with my father getting this job- even just a little, tiny push in the right direction.

My husband has been in a selling slump at work lately. He's been distracted and stressed out- not selling like we all know that he can do. Yesterday- he had his best day in the last few weeks. Again- I believe that my grandfather gave him a nudge in the right direction.

And today- I received an email to lift my spirits. One of my layouts is going to be published in Simple Scrapbook's A Simple Guide To Digital Scrapbooking 4. Not life changing- but still big to me. The layout that they chose is not only mine, but it also includes papers from one of my kits. This will hopefully give my sales a push- they're being published! Not only will my name be in print, but so will my kit!

I wonder now what other nudges Grandpa will be giving in the upcoming years.